With ultra-fast boats, millions in ransom payments and sympathetic locals, pro-Islamic State militants on lawless southern Philippines islands who beheaded a German hostage this week have re-emerged as one of the nation’s top threats. The Philippines is planning to bring in foreign maritime forces to help fight the Abu Sayyaf, after a kidnapping spree that … Read more
Islamic militants in the Philippines have posted a video showing the beheading of a German hostage. Juergen Kantner was abducted from his yacht off Malaysia’s Sabah state in November. His companion Sabine Merz’s body was later found on the boat. Mr Kantner, 70, and Ms Merz had been abducted before. They were held for 52 … Read more
Islamic militants in the Philippines have posted a video showing the beheading of a German hostage. Jurgen Kantner was abducted from his yacht off Malaysia’s Sabah state in November. His companion Sabine Merz’s body was later found on the boat. Mr Kantner, 70, and Ms Merz had been abducted before. They were held for 52 … Read more
The Philippines on Monday condemned the “barbaric beheading” of a German captive by Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf militants, who posted a video of the killing after a deadline for a $600,000 ransom passed. The video showed a machete-wielding militant behead the elderly German hostage, Jurgen Kantner, who had appealed for help twice in short video … Read more
Islamic militants in the Philippines have posted a video showing the beheading of a German hostage. Jurgen Kantner was abducted from his yacht off Malaysia’s Sabah state in November. His companion Sabine Merz’s body was later found on the boat. A deadline for a 30m peso (£483,000; $600,000) ransom expired on Sunday. Mr Kantner, 70, … Read more
Islamic militants in the Philippines have beheaded the German hostage they were holding for ransom, the SITE Intelligence group said Monday. A video posted by the extremist Abu Sayyaf group, which was monitored by SITE, showed German hostage Jurgen Kantner being killed by a knife-wielding man. The video appeared to confirm preliminary reports received by … Read more
Pirates have attacked a Vietnamese-flagged cargo ship off the southern Philippines, killing one seaman and abducting at least six others in a region notorious for such attacks, officials said Monday. The MV Giang Hai was attacked by pirates Sunday near the southernmost Philippine island of Baguan near the Malaysian coast, said coast guard spokesman Armand … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday pleaded with the country’s Muslim separatist groups to deny sanctuary to militants with links to Islamic State, warning a war would ensue that would put civilians in danger. His appeal comes a day after his defense minister said foreign intelligence reports showed a leader of the Abu Sayyaf rebel … Read more
More than 150 inmates have escaped from a southern Philippine prison in an attack by dozens of gunmen which left one guard dead. Authorities suspect the attackers were linked to Islamist separatist groups. The Philippines, which is predominantly Catholic, has been battling separatists in the south for decades. Groups like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front … Read more
Sixteen people were wounded in a grenade explosion outside a Catholic church during a Christmas eve mass in the Philippines’ restive southern island of Mindanao, a priest and police said on Saturday. Security forces across Southeast Asia are on alert ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays, as police in Australia and Indonesia said … Read more
Muslim extremists in the Philippines supporting the so-called Islamic State (IS) have freed at least eight fellow militants in a violent jailbreak. Police said at least 20 fighters from the Maute group stormed the Lanao del Sur jail the southern city of Marawi, disarming guards and stealing rifles. The militants had been detained last week, … Read more